Uebelmannia

Etymology - Named in honor of Swiss nurseryman, Werner Uebelmann.
Three species from Brazil make up the genus Uebelmannia, these plants feature globose, to cylindrical stems that have distinct ribs lined with spines. The epidermis of the plants has a granular texture to it and can be a bright green, waxy-gray, or even dark purple in color. The spines typically stand in contrast in bright white, golden, or black coloring with areoles forming a continuous line along the ribs. These characters, while hard to describe, give the plants a most striking and unique appearance. The flowers, however, would not be considered anything special among the cactus family as they are small little yellow funnels which come out near the stem tip.

In cultivation, this genus is considered one of the more difficult to grow. This makes them rather hard to find either for sale or trade. As a result, many new to the hobby are unfamiliar with the genus and are greatly impressed when they first encounter it.